The work of Franz Kafka has long fascinated authors, filmmakers, scholars and lay readers alike. Kafka is so present in the contemporary context that there is even an adjective in active use to describe phenomena that resemble the complicated, bizarre, or illogical circumstances under which his characters find themselves.

This panel invites submissions of papers addressing the longevity of Kafka’s work and the Kafkaesque in the German-language context in literature and film after 1933. Questions to consider include but are not limited to:

• What exactly is the Kafkaesque (a mood, a circumstance, a feeling) and why is the Kafkaesque so relevant to 20th Century and even contemporary thought and culture?
• What kinds of work do allusions to Kafka perform for different authors and filmmakers? Why is Kafka invoked so frequently by authors and filmmakers of such varied backgrounds?
• Does the idea of the Kafkaesque remain constant or does it undergo a metamorphosis of its own over time?

By May 19th 2015, please submit a 300 word abstract, brief bio, and A/V requirements to Claire E. Scott, Carolina-Duke Graduate Program in German Studies, at claire.scott@duke.edu.